Colombiana is another in what seems to be a growing number of B-movie action flicks that have come out over the past few years; the twist here is that in place of a standard action hero, or team of heroes, we get an action heroine. Cataleya (Amandla Stenberg as a child, Zoe Saldana as an adult) was orphaned at 10 years old by the Colombian crime lord who had been her father's employer. Escaping to America, she grew up to become a professional assassin, all the while hoping to get vengeance on Don Luis (Beto Benites) and his right-hand man Marco (Jordi Molla). Luc Besson was involved in this one as co-producer and co-writer, and it has many overtones of his earlier films La Femme Nikita and Leon. Some attempts are made to add depth to the story and characters, largely without success. Saldana, however, makes a convincing female counterpart to Jason Bourne, while Stenberg, currently seen in The Hunger Games, is impressive as the young Cataleya.

"May the hinges of friendship never rust, nor the wings of love lose a feather"--Scottish blessing

My Little Chickadee resulted from someone at Universal Pictures getting the "bright" idea to make a film teaming two of the most prominent comic talents of the studio era, W. C. Fields and Mae West. Unfortunately, the two stars, each used to films that showcased them individually, did not successfully blend onscreen. Not recommended.

"May the hinges of friendship never rust, nor the wings of love lose a feather"--Scottish blessing

On Dangerous Ground is a very good film noir from the early '50's, directed by Nicholas Ray. Jim Wilson (played by Robert Ryan) is a New York City cop who is coming apart at the seams, unable to restrain his violent tendencies. Sent into rural, upstate New York to help find the killer of a young girl, he befriends the killer's blind sister Mary (Ida Lupino), who may or may not offer him a chance at redemption and a new life. Ryan (who was a natural in roles like this) and Lupino are both excellent; Lupino also reportedly directed several scenes when Ray, whose health was often shaky, became ill during production. The great Bernard Herrmann contributed a very fine score, filled with overtones of his better-known score for North By Northwest.

"May the hinges of friendship never rust, nor the wings of love lose a feather"--Scottish blessing

Clint Eastwood made his debut as a director with Play Misty for Me, an effective psychological thriller. When Carmel, CA late night DJ Dave Garver (Eastwood) meets Evelyn Draper (Jessica Walter) at a bar one night, he's initially intrigued to find that she's the woman who regularly calls his show to request Erroll Garner's "Misty." But Evelyn soon proves to be obsessive in her attraction to Dave, and a danger to him and his girlfriend Tobie (Donna Mills). While this one isn't an action-fest, it's generally suspenseful (one interlude aside), and Eastwood, who insisted on filming on location, makes effective use of the cityscape and countryside of Carmel and the Monterey Peninsula.

"May the hinges of friendship never rust, nor the wings of love lose a feather"--Scottish blessing

Martin Scorsese might seem one of the least likely directors for a PG-rated children's adventure film, but his Hugo is delightful. The title character, 12 year-old Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) lives inside the walls of a Paris train station and looks after the clocks (don't ask, it would take too long). The one memento he has from his late father (Jude Law in flashbacks) is a strange device called an automaton, which the mechanically-talented Hugo wants to restore to working order. His new friend Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz) may be able to help him, but the answer to many mysteries may rest with Isabelle's godfather and adoptive parent, cinema pioneer Georges Melies (Ben Kingsley). Scorsese does a splendid job spinning a tale that is part fantasy, part coming-of-age story, while his technical crew did a magnificent job as the film snagged five Oscars in categories like Art Direction and Visual Effects. Kingsley and Law are joined in the cast by some other fairly big names, like Sacha Baron Cohen, Ray Winstone, Emily Mortimer and Christopher Lee. However, it's the young performers who center-stage in this one, and Butterfield and Moretz are both very winning. Highly recommended.

"May the hinges of friendship never rust, nor the wings of love lose a feather"--Scottish blessing

Tonight I watched Bad Lieutenant, a dark crime drama from Abel Ferrara, who is as hard-edged and uncompromising as ever. The never-named Lieutenant (Harvey Keitel) is a seriously bent NYPD detective--a drug user and gambling addict who is heavily in hock to the mob. When he is assigned to investigate the rape of a young nun, he may have a chance at some sort of redemption. Keitel, the only well-known player in a no-name cast, gives a superb, intense performance in a film that is, for me, too bleak for repeat viewing.

"May the hinges of friendship never rust, nor the wings of love lose a feather"--Scottish blessing